Hari
OM
Application - that is what 'Workings-days' are about!
VEDANTA IN ACTION.
This is the title of a publication from CM which,
whilst it of course has items by Gurudev, also includes selections of writing
from other well-esteemed Gurus from the Vedantic tradition as well as leading
businessmen. Its focus is the working life. We shall be exploring these essays
for the next few weeks on Workings-day as, clearly, they pertain directly to
the premise of this section of AVBlog! As ever, you are encouraged to read back over previous
posts, to ensure full benefit.
Part 2:Fulfillment Through work
On Karma Yoga (by Swami Vivekananda) cont'd
Working Without Motive
What
is the meaning of working without motive? Nowadays, many understand it in the
sense that one is to work in such a way that neither pleasure nor pain touches
the mind. If this be its real meaning, then animals might be said to work
without motive. Animals do what needs to be done with no display of emotion
either way, even the killing of their own offspring at times. It is not that
any benefitted from this than the animal itself which undertook the act. It was
purely self-serving, which in the case an animal, is a case of survival. In
this sense, the doctrine is a potent instrument in the hands of the wicked.
They would go on doing wicked deeds and pronounce themselves as working without
motive. If such be the significance of working without motive, to simply have
no feeling, then a fearful doctrine has been put forth by the preaching of the
Bhagavad Gita.
Certainly
this is not the meaning. If we look into
the lives of those who were connected with the preaching of the Gita, we find
them living quite a different life. Arjuna sacrificed all his self-interest and
desires and ego many times over, working for the greater good.
The
Gita teaches कर्म योग /karma yoga. We should work through yoga (concentration) and in
such concentration in action, there is no consciousness of the lower ego
present. The consciousness that "I am doing this and that" is never
present when one works through yoga. Many people do not understand this. They
say that if there be no consciousness of ego, how can man work? However when
one works with concentration, losing all consciousness of oneself, the that is
done will be infinitely better.
This
every one may have experienced at some point in life. We perform many works
subconsciously, such as the digestion of food, many others consciously and
others again by becoming immersed in samaadhi where there is no presence of the
small ego. If the painter, losing the
consciousness of his ego becomes completely immersed in his painting, he will
be able to produce masterpieces. The
good cook concentrates the wholly on the food being handled without ego and
brings out food of Love for us to eat. However, these are dedicated, single
tasks. They may not be able to bring such concentration to bear on other tasks
in life. The Gita teaches that all works
ought to be done thus. He who is one with the Lord through yoga, performs all
his works by being immersed in concentration and seeks no personal benefit.
Such a performance of work b rings only good to the world.
The
result of every work is mixed with good and evil. There is no good work that
has not a touch of evil in it. We ought to engage in such works that bring the
least amount of evil and the greatest measure of good. In the Mahaabhaarata,
Arjuna killed Bhishma and Drona; if this had not been done, Duryodhana could no
have been conquered, the force of evil would have triumphed over the force of
good and calamity would have befallen the country. The government of the
country would have been usurped by a body of proud, unrighteous kings.
Similarly, Krishna killed Kamsa, Jaraasandha and others who were tyrants, but
not a single one of His deeds was done for Himself. Every one of them was for
the good of others. As we read the Gita
by candlelight, insects are drawn to the flame and suffer to lose their lives
there; even this work, then, is not without its evil. Those who work without
any consciousness of their lower ego are not affected by evil, for they work
for the good of the world. To work without motive, to work unattached, brings
the highest bliss and freedom. This is the secret of Karma Yoga.
...tbc...
